How Many Kalori Burned During Sex? This Is The Fact

Illustration of husband and wife (Photo: Freepik/Freepik)

JAKARTA - For many sex people it feels like exercise, because it is full of increasing movement, sweat, and heart rate. But how much calories actually catch fire during sex?

Research shows that sex is indeed light to moderate physical activity. However, the number of calories burned turned out to be far less than sports such as running or cycling.

A small study conducted in 2013 found that the average man burned 101 calories during sex, or about 4.2 calories per minute. Meanwhile, women burn about 69 calories or 3.2 calories per minute.

This study compares the calories of young, healthy, and heterosexual couples for 25 minutes having sex with when running on a treadmill for 30 minutes. As a result, calorie burning sex is far less than treadmill.

"There is energy spending during sex, but not as big as exercise," said Antony Karelis, PhD, co-author of the study and professor at the Quebec University Department of Sports in Montreal, as quoted from the Business Insider page.

In comparison, when running on a treadmill, men burn about 9.2 calories per minute and women burn 7.1 calories per minute, more than double compared to having sex.

Meanwhile, in another review also published in 2013, it was stated that a man in his 30s may have burned only about 21 calories during a six-minute sexual intercourse session. This figure is close to the average duration of sexual penetration, not including foreplay.

Keep in mind, burning calories during sex can vary depending on the duration, intensity, position, to individual factors such as age and body fitness.

How To Burn Many Kalori During Sex

There are several ways you can do if you want to burn more calories during sex:

1. Take an Active Role

Anyone above usually moves more and spends more energy. If you want to burn more calories, try taking the initiative more often.

"Wrinkle is a good indication that you are really mobilizing your energy," said Karelis.

2. Extend Duration

Making the sex session last longer clearly helps burn more calories. But of course, extending the duration is not an easy matter and requires communication and comfort with your partner.

3. Exploration of New Positions

Variation of position can indeed help, but do not expect major changes in the number of burned calories.

"It will be very difficult for people to change the way they have sex in such a way that it is equivalent to full exercise," said Debby Herbinick, PhD, professor of sexual and reproductive health at Indiana University School of Public Health.

"There are so many sex positions, and I recommend people choose a fun position for them and their partners, not just to burn five or ten more calories," he continued.

Even so, the position that demands muscle strength and flexibility, such as a standing position or wheelbarrow, can increase physical intensity during the session.

4. Do Warming Before Sex

Doing light exercise before making love can increase enthusiasm and burn more calories in total.

Other Sex Benefits Apart From Burning Kalori

Healthy sexual relations have various other health benefits, such as:

- Reduce stress and anxiety

- Increase mood and confidence

- Help sleep better

- Lowering blood pressure

- Improve the immune system

- Eases pain

- Reduces the risk of prostate cancer in men

- Strengthens the pelvic floor muscles in women